MEMBERSHIP FAQ

Q. Can I talk to a real person?
A. Yes. Our membership team is small, but we’re here to help. Our office hours are typically Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Arizona time), and you can call anytime. If you reach our voicemail, we will return your call promptly.

Center Videos

“I have supported the Center for quite awhile now — the reason is because these guys are effective — I can see my money working in lawsuits against the feds, etc. The Center considers all creatures great and small to be important — everybody cares about polar bears, but who cares about frogs? The Center cares, and wants to make sure everyone is aware of how humans are driving them to extinction. Kudos to Kierán for the quarterly briefings, and the way the staff makes donors feel cherished and special.” – Joan DaVanzo, Leadership Circle member

"The Center for Biological Diversity makes a long-term impact with its incredible sucess in winning court cases. Thanks to them, our fellow creatures have a voice.”
— Arlene, via GreatNonprofits.org

"They are pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the most effective conservation organization in the country"
— LA Weekly

"People should help animals because its the right thing, not because you're being rewarded." —Kaylyn, age 10

“I think it's important to help Center for Biological Diversity because they know how to use the money wisely, they know how to save the animals with money, and they know what they are doing.”
— Austin Lee, fourth grade, Los Angeles

Q. What is the Center for Biological Diversity’s mission?A. Read our mission statement.

Q. How long has the Center been around and how did the organization get started?A. Read about the Center’s history.

Q. Where does my donation go? A. We're proud of the way we manage our funds. According to the LA Weekly, we're "pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the most effective conservation organization in the country." When you donate to the Center, you may not get a backpack, a plush toy, or a windbreaker, but you'll get the satisfaction of being part of the best defense endangered species and wild places have got. In 2014, 83 percent of our funds spent went directly back to our conservation programs. You may request a copy of our latest financial information by writing to our office.

Q. Does my online activism make a difference?A. Citizen voices are a crucial part of creating meaningful change. We find that in concert with litigation, education, science-based investigation and creative media, e-petitions and email comment campaigns can be powerful forces. Sometimes a barrage of public comments can be just the thing to nudge a politician or bureaucrat in the right direction. And the more succinct and direct, the better. We construct our petitions to save species and habitat after intensive investigation and then harness them as one of several parallel and complementary prongs of attack. They’ve proven to be effective, as happened when 18,000 e-comments helped compel the Obama administration to pledge a recovery plan and critical habitat for the endangered jaguar, and when a whopping 200,000-plus citizen signatures helped revoke a rule eviscerating the Endangered Species Act.

Q. I don’t have money to donate. Can I volunteer my time?
A: You can still be a part of our work by volunteering your time and energy. The majority of our volunteer opportunities are in our main Tucson, Arizona, office. We do, however, have occasional opportunities to get involved or attend events in your local community. You can check out a short listing of our volunteer opportunities and join our volunteer group.

Q. Does the Center share my personal information? A. View our Privacy Policy or contact our membership team to have a copy sent to you.

Q. Can I get a copy of the Center’s tax ID information?
A. Yes. Contact our membership team to request that a copy be sent to you via email, mail, or fax. Our tax ID number is ID 27-3943866.

Q. Can I view the Center's state fundraising registration disclosures?A. Yes. View our current state fundraising registration disclosures here.

ABOUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Q. How can I change my mailing address, email address, phone number or other contact information? A. Email your name and contact info with changes to our membership team at membership@biologicaldiversity.org, or call us toll-free at (866) 357.3349.

Q. When and how do I renew my membership? A. Membership is good for the calendar year. We send out renewal notices by mail and email at the beginning of each year. You can renew by responding to your renewal notice, calling our membership team to make your gift by phone, or making your gift online via our secure server with a credit card or electronic check.

Q. How can I find out if my membership is current? A. The best way to find out about your membership status is to call our membership team toll-free at 866.357.3349. If you have a recent mailing from us, please keep it on hand for reference.

Q. How can I receive less mail? A. If you'd like to receive more or less membership mail, we will be happy to tailor our communications to your wishes. Call our office to speak to someone on our membership team. We can:

Limit your renewal notices.

Limit your additional appeals by mail.

Stop all solicitations and send our member newsletter only.

Stop all Center mail.

Refrain from sharing your address with any other groups.

Q. How can I be added to or removed from the Center's mailing or telephone list? A. Please send our membership staff an email at membership@biologicaldiversity.org or or give us a call toll-free at 866.357.3349. We're pleased to honor your communication preferences.

Q. What does it mean to be a member of the Center?
A. Being a member of the Center means that you contribute regularly to support our work. Contributions are most often financial, but they may include other gifts and/or services.

DONATION QUESTIONS

Q. Can I make automatic monthly or quarterly donations as a sustainer?
A. Yes. You can join our Sustainer program by clicking here or calling our Membership Department at 866.357.3349. Sustainer giving is one of the most effective ways to support the Center for Biological Diversity. Your monthly or quarterly contributions provide dependable funds we can count on year-round. You can make a gift by credit card or electronic funds transfer.

Q. Can I use PayPal to make a donation?A. Yes. You can make a single tax-deductible donation through PayPal here. Network for Good can also administer your gift to the Center. There, you may choose PayPal as your method of payment for a one-time or monthly gift.

Q. How do I bypass the "AVS Mismatch" message when I try to give online?
A. You can make sure the address you’ve entered matches your credit card's billing address by clicking the link next to "Not [your email address]?" to log out, and then re-entering your billing information. Alternatively, you can mail us a check or give us a call at 866.357.3349 — we’re always happy to accept your gift over the phone.

Q. Can I get a copy of the Center’s tax ID information? A. Yes, contact our membership team to request that a copy be sent to you via email, mail or fax. Our tax ID number is 27-3943866.

Q. Can I donate something other than cash? A. Yes. In-kind donations such as vehicles, office equipment or artwork are graciously accepted when we can make the most of your gift. Click here for more information.

Q. Is the Center part of the Combined Federal Campaign, and how can I make a gift?A. Yes. The Center has been approved for participation in the 2012 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) as a member of the Conservation and Preservation Charities of America federation. To designate us for a gift through this program, look for our listing and agency number as a member of CPCA federation. The CFC is the workplace charitable fund drive for federal government employees, military personnel and postal workers. It's the largest employer-sponsored fund drive in the world, soliciting approximately 4 million employees and raising more than $281.5 million annually. Contact us with questions and to find your local campaign, or go to the CFC's Campaign Locator site.

Q. Can I make a gift of stock? A. Yes! Call, email, fax or write to our membership team for current account information.

JOINING THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Q. What is the Center’s Leadership Circle, and how can I join? A. The Center’s top member group is the Leadership Circle, comprising 2 percent of our membership and donating more than 50 percent of all membership gifts. This select group of members generously donates $1,000 or more annually. To find out more and join the Leadership Circle, visit our website or click here to join today. For more information or to give your gift by phone, contact Chief Development Officer Paula Simmons at 646.770.720 or psimmons@biologicaldiversity.org.

LEAVING A LEGACY

Q. How can I make a planned or estate gift to the Center?
A. Making a planned gift is one way you can help ensure that the Center will be a significant voice for protection of endangered species and imperiled ecosystems far in to the future. Our Web page www.biologicaldiversity.org/owlsclub provides information on the most common ways of making a planned gift, such as bequests and giving through retirement plans. Or you can ask specific questions by requesting information from owlsclub@biologicaldiversity.org or by giving us a call at (646) 770-7206. Please remember to always seek advice from your personal accountant or financial advisor as well.

Q. How can I contribute through a retirement account?
A. One of the simplest ways to contribute from a retirement account is to name the Center for Biological Diversity as a beneficiary for part or all of what remains in your retirement account when you no longer need it. This includes your individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Keogh plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and other qualified pension plans. The proceeds of these plans will be distributed outside probate and are thus entirely free from federal estate tax.

Q. Can you remove me from your mailing list? I'm not a member. A. Yes. If you're not a member of the Center for Biological Diversity, and you're receiving invitations to join, it's likely that another organization has shared your name and address with us. To be excluded from future mailings, please contact our membership team and let us know you’d rather not receive mail from the Center. We'll need the following information in order to make sure you are removed from the list:

Your name and address exactly as they appear on the mailing.

The mailing code, which usually begins with the letter “A.”

Please note that because many of our mailings are prepared in advance, it might take some time before the change takes full effect. We appreciate your patience and will do everything we can to expedite the process.